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Position:
Rabbi or Cantor
Organization:
Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley Synagogue
Location:
Sedona, Arizona. A stunning high-desert city famous for its red rock formations, outdoor recreation, arts, and spiritual culture. Located 114 miles north of Phoenix at a 4,500-foot elevation.
Employment Type:
Full-Time
Why We Need a Rabbi or Cantor:
Our current full-time rabbi, Rabbi Alicia Magal, will become Rabbi Emerita June 30th, 2027. After 21 years as our congregation's admired and respected spiritual leader, this change will mark an important transition for our community. The Clergy Search Committee and Board of Directors are approaching this process thoughtfully and with great care.
Timing:
Position to begin July 1, 2027
About Our Synagogue:
The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley Synagogue (JCSVV) is a welcoming, egalitarian, inclusive congregation dedicated to building a link from the past to the future by providing religious, educational, social, and cultural experiences. We choose to remain unaffiliated and independent in order to respect and serve the rich diversity of our members and visitors.
Our members have all relocated to Sedona from various locations with diverse Jewish backgrounds. We provide religious worship and adult education, social and community action, and cultural activities to residents and visitors to the area of Northern Arizona known as the Verde Valley and surrounding areas. We are committed to being a welcoming presence for all who embrace Jewish values.
We welcome visitors of all faiths to our Synagogue, positioned in a magnificent, inspiring setting in Red Rock country. We work to attract those interested in the area, from all traditions of Judaism, and to be a destination for all things associated with Jewish practice. We provide a synagogue for all who want a place to worship, as well as to celebrate traditional holidays and life cycle events, including providing an ideal location for destination life cycle events. We aim to foster lasting relationships, both within and outside the Jewish community, through lifelong educational programs, commitment to social justice, providing help for vulnerable local populations, and fighting discriminatory practices.
We have a combined membership of approximately 170 full-time, part-time and associate members, with potential to grow.
Core Responsibilities:
• Community Leader: Active in the Jewish, Interfaith, and secular communities.
• Counselor: Provides solace, empathetic counseling, and support to congregants at difficult lifecycle events. Visits the sick and homebound.
• Educator: Dynamic teacher who conveys scholarly knowledge of Jewish texts, history and philosophy in meaningful ways.
• Mediator: Assists congregants in resolving conflicts.
• Service Leader: Leads uplifting and meaningful services that engage congregants who have differing levels of ritual understanding and Hebrew reading fluency. Delivers thought-provoking sermons that inspire a deeper relationship to Judaism.
• Social Activist: Leads the congregation in tikkun olam and combating anti-Semitism.
• Team Player: Promotes trust and partners with Board of Directors and others.
• Unifier: Warm, accessible, and approachable to all, regardless of level of observance, race, sexual orientation, financial means, or political viewpoint. Engages with congregants to get to know them personally and takes an interest in their lives. Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Visionary: Works with the Board of Directors and others to help create a strategic vision for the synagogue, bringing innovative ideas that energize the congregation and encourage it to evolve.
Additional Responsibilities:
• Incorporate music into services.
• Conduct meaningful life cycle events.
• Collaborate with lay-led leadership.
• Willing to adapt to hybrid technology (i.e. Zoom as well as in person programming).
• Willing to accept some administrative responsibilities and regular office hours.
• Help to grow membership. Outreach to bring young/new members into the congregation.
• Increase volunteer participation.
• Collaborate with other area synagogues and participate in community outreach with the Interfaith Clergy Committee